Jakarta – Indonesian hardline cleric Abu Bakar Bashir never headed the Islamic militant network Jemaah Islamiyah, a spokesman for his organisation said on Friday.

Abu Dujana, the alleged head of JI's military wing who was captured two weeks ago, told police in a video aired to journalists that Mr Bashir had replaced Abdullah Sungkar as head of the network blamed for the 2002 Bali bombings and other attacks.

"It's a lie. Ustadz Bashir was never appointed as JI's leader. He was only a friend of Abdullah Sungkar," Fauzan al-Anshori, a spokesman for the Majelis Mujahiddin Indonesia told AFP, referring to JI's founder.

Mr Bashir, 68, was released from jail in June last year after serving nearly 26 months for his role in a 'sinister conspiracy' that led to the Bali bombings which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians. The Supreme Court in December overturned his conviction, outraging families of the Australian victims.

Mr Anshori said Mr Bashir had brushed off the allegations, and pointed to the Supreme Court's ruling. "We defer to the Indonesian Supreme Court's decision proving that Abu Bakar Bashir had nothing to do with Jemaah Islamiyah... nor with terror attacks in Indonesia," he added.

Since his release from prison the firebrand cleric has lobbied for Sharia law to be implemented in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. The vast majority of Muslims in this nation of 232 million people practise a very tolerant form of the religion.